Relyon steps in to help reduce congestion in Wellington town centre

A MAJOR employer in Wellington has taken steps to help reduce congestion which is grinding the town to a halt.

Relyon has increased its on-site parking availability in a bid to persuade workers to stop parking along Longforth Road, which is often gridlocked at peak times.

Many motorists are left frustrated with the build up of cars on the road, which leads to the Station Mills factory, but it is hoped the extra parking spaces will have a positive effect on town centre traffic.

A spokesman for Relyon said: “The directors are always looking at ways to reduce congestion for our site. An immediate action that has already been taken is to increase our on-site parking availability.

“We also look forward to continuing our ongoing discussions with Taunton Deane Council regarding the Longforth Farm development and the possibility of gaining access to the east side of our site, which would help greatly.”

Helen Boyd, Wellington’s police sergeant, said officers were in discussion with the firm over the possibility of staggering shifts.

Sgt Boyd said this would reduce the flow of traffic from the factory, which employs around 500 people.

However as reported by the County Gazette in February, traffic lights at the Longforth junction have also been causing problems for some time, especially with the increased number of cars heading in and out of Waitrose since it opened in 2010.

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The lights are synchronised four ways which leads to a build-up of traffic in the centre of town, particularly when the lights in South Street and North Street allow cars to pass through to High Street.

Motorist Karen White, who uses Longforth Road most days, said: “Sometimes the light sequence is so short that only one car goes through.

“Therefore at that rate no wonder it takes so long for the road to clear if there is a bit of a peak in traffic.

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“I've been the second or third car in the queue before and someone has not been quick enough to notice the green light, has hesitated or maybe has not got into gear quickly enough to move off and the light has gone back to red and not a single car got out.”

What would you like to see done to help reduce traffic in town? Comment on this story at somersetcountygazette.co.uk or email michael.marsh@nqsw.co.uk

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Comments (6)

Unfortunately I don’t think this will have much impact as they really need to sort the timing of these lights (I don’t understand why they haven’t done so already) out as whoever designed them was clearly incompetent – it took me 30 min to get through on a Saturday morning recently because they were only green for 5 seconds at a time (I timed them and counted on average 3 cars getting through each time) – if I hadn’t been trying to pick up a large and heavy parcel from the sorting office it would have been quicker to walk the mile each way from where I live! Perhaps the person who set the sequencing likes to shop at Waitrose as the exit lights for this one shop are green for far longer than for those of us who have the audacity to want to travel from the northern half of the town, but are left fuming in their cars while watching the traffic from every other direction move freely through these idiotic lights. You really don’t have to be Einstein to work out that a 5 second green light for the volume of traffic that was inevitably going to be trying to exit from the northern side of the town was going to cause a problem!

Unfortunately I don’t think this will have much impact as they really need to sort the timing of these lights (I don’t understand why they haven’t done so already) out as whoever designed them was clearly incompetent – it took me 30 min to get through on a Saturday morning recently because they were only green for 5 seconds at a time (I timed them and counted on average 3 cars getting through each time) – if I hadn’t been trying to pick up a large and heavy parcel from the sorting office it would have been quicker to walk the mile each way from where I live! Perhaps the person who set the sequencing likes to shop at Waitrose as the exit lights for this one shop are green for far longer than for those of us who have the audacity to want to travel from the northern half of the town, but are left fuming in their cars while watching the traffic from every other direction move freely through these idiotic lights. You really don’t have to be Einstein to work out that a 5 second green light for the volume of traffic that was inevitably going to be trying to exit from the northern side of the town was going to cause a problem!Hljomalind

Unfortunately I don’t think this will have much impact as they really need to sort the timing of these lights (I don’t understand why they haven’t done so already) out as whoever designed them was clearly incompetent – it took me 30 min to get through on a Saturday morning recently because they were only green for 5 seconds at a time (I timed them and counted on average 3 cars getting through each time) – if I hadn’t been trying to pick up a large and heavy parcel from the sorting office it would have been quicker to walk the mile each way from where I live! Perhaps the person who set the sequencing likes to shop at Waitrose as the exit lights for this one shop are green for far longer than for those of us who have the audacity to want to travel from the northern half of the town, but are left fuming in their cars while watching the traffic from every other direction move freely through these idiotic lights. You really don’t have to be Einstein to work out that a 5 second green light for the volume of traffic that was inevitably going to be trying to exit from the northern side of the town was going to cause a problem!

Score: 13

Welly View says...11:52pm Wed 7 May 14

I was told a while ago that the traffic lights have sensors which detect moving traffic. So, if someone in the queue in Longforth Road pauses to let someone come out of the petrol station then the detectors will momentarily see no moving traffic, thus causing the lights to change. Contrary to this, the traffic coming out of Waitrose, or traffic heading into High St or out of town from High St flows more freely. Sadly, the answer to this is for people to not be kind to people exiting the petrol station. I can predict next month's news story........... Petrol station forced to closed due to boycott by customers trapped on their forecourt and not able to join traffic on Longforth Road due to people determined to keep traffic flowing through sensors. If only someone would draw up plans for a Wellington Town Centre relief road, perhaps north of the town, to totally resolve town centre congestion by providing alternative access to businesses and homes located to the north of the town...........

I was told a while ago that the traffic lights have sensors which detect moving traffic. So, if someone in the queue in Longforth Road pauses to let someone come out of the petrol station then the detectors will momentarily see no moving traffic, thus causing the lights to change. Contrary to this, the traffic coming out of Waitrose, or traffic heading into High St or out of town from High St flows more freely. Sadly, the answer to this is for people to not be kind to people exiting the petrol station.
I can predict next month's news story........... Petrol station forced to closed due to boycott by customers trapped on their forecourt and not able to join traffic on Longforth Road due to people determined to keep traffic flowing through sensors.
If only someone would draw up plans for a Wellington Town Centre relief road, perhaps north of the town, to totally resolve town centre congestion by providing alternative access to businesses and homes located to the north of the town...........Welly View

I was told a while ago that the traffic lights have sensors which detect moving traffic. So, if someone in the queue in Longforth Road pauses to let someone come out of the petrol station then the detectors will momentarily see no moving traffic, thus causing the lights to change. Contrary to this, the traffic coming out of Waitrose, or traffic heading into High St or out of town from High St flows more freely. Sadly, the answer to this is for people to not be kind to people exiting the petrol station. I can predict next month's news story........... Petrol station forced to closed due to boycott by customers trapped on their forecourt and not able to join traffic on Longforth Road due to people determined to keep traffic flowing through sensors. If only someone would draw up plans for a Wellington Town Centre relief road, perhaps north of the town, to totally resolve town centre congestion by providing alternative access to businesses and homes located to the north of the town...........

Score: 4

solents says...9:11am Thu 8 May 14

There is of course a much simpler option which nobody has thought of. Why don't the council along with Relyon have parking available out of town. Employees who need to travel by car can park out of town and then Relyon bus them in and out 30 at a time. There is plenty of space up near Chelston. It would be a simple Park and RIde scheme and it would free up the traffic along the route to the factory through the town benefiting all and would keep the ecologists and those concerned about air-pollution happy not to mention the townsfolk themselves. Also if they don't do this already; the bosses at Relyon can set up a cycle to work scheme such as this one - http://www.cyclesolu tions.co.uk/. I regularly do it for myself through my employer. You can choose a new bike, pay back a monthly rental which is tax free and at the end of the period the bike is yours! It would encourage more employees to cycle into work and to leave their car at home. We all know the benefits of exercise - not only on one's health but also it's a bonus to the employer who has a workforce which is healthier too. Everyone's a winner!

There is of course a much simpler option which nobody has thought of.
Why don't the council along with Relyon have parking available out of town. Employees who need to travel by car can park out of town and then Relyon bus them in and out 30 at a time. There is plenty of space up near Chelston.
It would be a simple Park and RIde scheme and it would free up the traffic along the route to the factory through the town benefiting all and would keep the ecologists and those concerned about air-pollution happy not to mention the townsfolk themselves.
Also if they don't do this already; the bosses at Relyon can set up a cycle to work scheme such as this one - http://www.cyclesolu
tions.co.uk/.
I regularly do it for myself through my employer. You can choose a new bike, pay back a monthly rental which is tax free and at the end of the period the bike is yours! It would encourage more employees to cycle into work and to leave their car at home.
We all know the benefits of exercise - not only on one's health but also it's a bonus to the employer who has a workforce which is healthier too.
Everyone's a winner!solents

There is of course a much simpler option which nobody has thought of. Why don't the council along with Relyon have parking available out of town. Employees who need to travel by car can park out of town and then Relyon bus them in and out 30 at a time. There is plenty of space up near Chelston. It would be a simple Park and RIde scheme and it would free up the traffic along the route to the factory through the town benefiting all and would keep the ecologists and those concerned about air-pollution happy not to mention the townsfolk themselves. Also if they don't do this already; the bosses at Relyon can set up a cycle to work scheme such as this one - http://www.cyclesolu tions.co.uk/. I regularly do it for myself through my employer. You can choose a new bike, pay back a monthly rental which is tax free and at the end of the period the bike is yours! It would encourage more employees to cycle into work and to leave their car at home. We all know the benefits of exercise - not only on one's health but also it's a bonus to the employer who has a workforce which is healthier too. Everyone's a winner!

Score: 4

Slow down! says...10:34am Thu 8 May 14

Turn the lights off! and put a mini roundabout in its place.

Turn the lights off!
and put a mini roundabout in its place.Slow down!

Turn the lights off! and put a mini roundabout in its place.

Score: 4

Maid says...11:29am Thu 8 May 14

My question is If Reylon workforce is to blame for congestion why are there still queues etc. out of Reylon working hours? Has anyone thought the congestion started when two lanes of traffic were turned into one in order to make a cycle lane....which would be fair enough if cyclist used them but most cyclist don't as they just get of and walk along pavement to avoid sitting at traffic lights! Even when Reylon start using the new relief road( to no where else)...congestion will still be the same in the town as People who travel to work from Millverton, Wiveliscombe Langford Cullupton etc will still be traveling through town to get to the entrance to the new bypass to Reylon ( unless Relyon have two entrances) not all staff come into town from Taunton!

My question is If Reylon workforce is to blame for congestion why are there still queues etc. out of Reylon working hours? Has anyone thought the congestion started when two lanes of traffic were turned into one in order to make a cycle lane....which would be fair enough if cyclist used them but most cyclist don't as they just get of and walk along pavement to avoid sitting at traffic lights! Even when Reylon start using the new relief road( to no where else)...congestion will still be the same in the town as People who travel to work from Millverton, Wiveliscombe Langford Cullupton etc will still be traveling through town to get to the entrance to the new bypass to Reylon ( unless Relyon have two entrances) not all staff come into town from Taunton!Maid

My question is If Reylon workforce is to blame for congestion why are there still queues etc. out of Reylon working hours? Has anyone thought the congestion started when two lanes of traffic were turned into one in order to make a cycle lane....which would be fair enough if cyclist used them but most cyclist don't as they just get of and walk along pavement to avoid sitting at traffic lights! Even when Reylon start using the new relief road( to no where else)...congestion will still be the same in the town as People who travel to work from Millverton, Wiveliscombe Langford Cullupton etc will still be traveling through town to get to the entrance to the new bypass to Reylon ( unless Relyon have two entrances) not all staff come into town from Taunton!

Score: 2

Mi_Coc says...12:26pm Thu 8 May 14

The issues as many have said are the lights! Local councillors have requested somerset highways attend meetings and resolve and they are belligerent and do not care. there was no issue before the waitrose went in.

The issues as many have said are the lights!
Local councillors have requested somerset highways attend meetings and resolve and they are belligerent and do not care.
there was no issue before the waitrose went in.Mi_Coc

The issues as many have said are the lights! Local councillors have requested somerset highways attend meetings and resolve and they are belligerent and do not care. there was no issue before the waitrose went in.

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